Balloons fly off to promote the Cliffs [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 08 September 2010
MORE than 700 orange balloons filled the skies at the Cliffs of Moher yesterday as a campaign with a difference took flight.
A strong westerly wind took the biodegradable balloons out of view within 30 seconds of being released by children from 20 north Clare primary schools at the world renowned attraction.
The event is part of a campaign to have the Cliffs selected as one of the "New7Wonders of Nature" after last year being shortlisted for the final 28.
Each balloon is printed with the Vote for the Cliffs logo and a message to contact the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre.
Yesterday, the manager of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre, Katherine Webster, speculated that the some of the balloons may find their way past the east coast and across the Irish sea to Britain.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
New academic year getting under way [Independent.ie]
- Published: 08 September 2010
As one cycle ends, a new cycle starts. This week the business of 2010 college offers winds down, and the new academic year gets under way around the country at primary, secondary, further education and third level.
There is still some activity on the CAO offer and acceptance front, with today being the closing date for acceptances of the CAO offers made in round two last Thursday. After today, CAO will issue offers as necessary until October to fill any vacancies that may arise.
Today is also the day by which applications for exam results appeals or rechecks must be returned to the State Examinations Commissions offices.
So what numbers usually appeal grades, and what are their chances of success?
Last year, a total of 6,127 candidates made applications for appeals against 10,398 grades. Upgrades were awarded in 2,076 (or almost 20pc of) cases.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
In my opinion: Pre-school workers are getting a raw deal on pay [Independent.ie]
- Published: 08 September 2010
While the free pre-school year, which is available to children born between February 2, 2006, and June 30, 2007, under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, is positive and adds stability to the sector, it needs serious improvement if it is to succeed longer term and it must be off-limits to cuts in the forthcoming budget.
The ECCE scheme was launched in January, replacing the early-childhood supplement, and since then we've seen it in action, and the Office of the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs (OMCYA) has gathered a lot of data.
So the minister has a true picture of fees, costs, pay scales, training needs and profit margin (or should I say lack of profit margin) across the sector.
Now in the second week of term, our members are busy settling the children in and filling in all the ECCE forms.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Diary of a school teacher: I'll support 'Homework Rovers' forever...for this season anyway [Independent.ie]
- Published: 08 September 2010
Every year my colleague Finnegan and I battle it out in the official English Premier League fantasy football league.
With an imaginary budget of £1m we select a squad of 15 real-life players and win points according to how our selection performs in the real English Premier League.
At last week's staff meeting, Finnegan waves his iPhone under my nose.
"It's that time of the year," he whispers, "you have to register your team!"
Perfect opportunity -- there's none of that flickery, unreliable Wi-Fi that I pay for through the nose at home, and Finnegan has the fantasy football website up and ready for me, displaying his selection and the name of his team: 'Eleven of The Best'.
After I have picked my squad and given it a name -- I go for 'Homework Rovers' -- we enter the most useless selection of players that we can muster from the entire English Premier League and give it the name 'Big Boy FC' and register it to rugby-only fan Kurt Moobs.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
We are bottom of the class [Independent.ie]
- Published: 08 September 2010
THE Government failed to invest sufficiently in education during the boom years and is now paying the price.
A report shows that we are near the bottom of an international league table for spending on education, and near the top for large classes. It also shows that Irish primary-school pupils spend a lot more time on religion and less on PE and science than in other countries.
In 2007, Ireland came 30th of 33 countries in terms of spending; only Italy and the Czech and Slovak Republics spent a lower percentage of their gross domestic product (GDP) on education that year. The average spend was 5.7pc of GDP but Ireland invested only 4.7pc, according to the annual OECD report 'Education at a Glance'.
The American Chamber of Commerce said last night the Government should resist the temptation to cut spending on education as it sought to address the fiscal deficit. "Investment across the entire education system is required if we are to maintain confidence in the talent of future generations to meet the demand of the global economy."
Full Story: www.independent.ie
